Staff Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WITH immediate effect and until further notice, the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products has been suspended nationwide following the detection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in the \/\/Kharas Region. The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) has also announced that roadblocks will be established at strategic areas to enforce movement controls on cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DVS has also suspended nationwide marketing and trade of all cloven-hoofed animals, as well as their import, export and transit. The slaughter of cloven-hoofed animals has been halted at export and local abattoirs, informal markets and during social events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The measures are contained in Veterinary Public Notification No. 15 of 2026, issued following confirmation of the FMD outbreak in the country\u2019s World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)-recognised FMD-free zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The National FMD Contingency Plan has been activated in terms of the Animal Health Act, No. 1 of 2011, with intensive surveillance now under way to establish the full extent of the outbreak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The outbreak was detected during routine disease surveillance by veterinary officials from the Karasburg State Veterinary Office on 22 September 2026, when 63 cattle showing clinical signs of FMD were observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Samples were collected from 11 cattle and submitted to the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek for diagnosis. Ten of the 11 samples tested positive for the FMD virus on 23 September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and certain wild animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The disease can cause sores, vesicles and ulcers in the mouth and between the hooves of infected animals. Infected animals may be reluctant to move, salivate excessively and lose body condition, while milk production can be significantly reduced in dairy cows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FMD is a notifiable and State-controlled disease under the Animal Health Act, and farmers and members of the public have been urged to report suspected cases to the nearest state veterinary office without delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Farmers have also been warned against illegally importing FMD vaccines or vaccinating animals within the FMD-free zone, as such actions are prohibited and subject to legal penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DVS has called on farmers, the public and relevant stakeholders to cooperate in efforts to contain the outbreak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photos: Contributed\/Helmeringhausen Boerevereniging<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter WITH immediate effect and until further notice, the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products has been suspended nationwide following the detection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in the \/\/Kharas Region. The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) has also announced that roadblocks will be established at …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":401332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-401331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n